Rhodochrosite

specimen number:
8911232

location:
Uchucchacua Mine, Oyon, Lima, Peru

description:
Deep red brilliantly lustrous translucent to transparent scalenohedral crystals of rhodochrosite measuring to 2.2 cm in size scattered across the top of a black matrix. Great color contrast. This is in excellent condition for one of these. Attractive, the specimen comes with a previous label from the Alton collection.

Located in the high Andes of the Oyon Province in Lima Department, Peru, the Uchucchacua Mine is a world-class silver deposit situated within hydrothermal replacement and skarn systems. The complex geology features Mesozoic limestone sequences intruded by Tertiary dacitic and quartz-monzonite stocks, which drove polymetallic mineralization rich in silver, manganese, lead, and zinc. Commercial underground mining operations began in the mid-twentieth century under Compañia de Minas Buenaventura, establishing Uchucchacua as one of the top primary silver producers in Peru. In addition to its industrial importance, the locality achieved legendary status among mineral collectors for yielding exceptionally large, well-crystallized specimens of rare manganese minerals, bright red rhodochrosite, and metallic sulfide and sulfosalt species.

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